Warm Up For Exhibitions

Warner's Goal Caps 2-1 Victory for Yellow Side

February 18, 2010

Real Salt Lake Media Relations

The first glimpse of what the 2010 edition of Real Salt Lake
could look like came today at the club's training camp at the Francisco
Grande Resort, where the reigning MLS Cup champs participated in
its first intra-squad scrimmage of its 2010 preseason. In the scrimmage,
which was contested in three 20-minute periods, goals by FW Pablo
Campos and MF Collen Warner would lift the Yellow squad to a
2-1 victory over its Red counterpart, which received its lone goal from
FW Fabían Espíndola.

The Red team had the session's first quality chance seven minutes in
when Espíndola sprang FW Tino Nuñez into the area with a
perfectly weighted through ball, but the third-year striker was forced
wide by a hard-charging GK Tim Melia and hit the subsequent shot
into the right side-netting. The scrimmage's first goal came from the
Yellow side at the 15-minute mark, the play starting in the back with a
clearance by DF Kris Banghart that was won at midfield by Warner.
After finding newcomer FW Abe Thompson, the veteran striker
played a lengthy give-and-go with Campos that resulted in the Brazilian
getting behind the Red's backline and finishing from 12 yards out past
GK Kyle Reynish, who flew off his line trying to force a quick
attempt on goal.

The Reds came out in the second period and controlled the bulk of
possession, but could not find the goal to pay off its work on the ball.
Nuñez and Espíndola would come close though, the former's attempt in
the 23rd minute whistling past goal, while the latter's left-footed
screamer from 20 yards out four minutes later forced the best out of
Reynish, who leapt and extended fully to his right to tip the
Argentine's effort just over his crossbar. Dangerous moments were also
created by the Reds at the end of the period, but MF Javier Morales
couldn't shuffle his feet in time to connect with a corner kick that
fell to his feet at the left post in the 38th minute, while MF Nelson
Gonzalez's well-placed free kick to the top of the six was narrowly
missed by DF Chris Schuler's diving header attempt.

The Reds would finally push through at the start of the third stanza, MFNed Grabavoy's industrious work on the ball and ability to
achieve the endline softening up the defense for a cross into the six
that was easily finished by Espíndola on the doorstep, tying the
scrimmage at 1-1. But five minutes from the end of the scrimmage the
Yellows would jump back on top when a series of passes across the field
to the right flank ended at the feet of Warner. The rookie midfielder
touched the ball back to the left before uncorking a low shot that took a
deflection off a defender's leg, which wrong-footed GK Sean Milligan
and snuck just inside the far left post.

Real Salt Lake News & Notes

• Only two guest players took part in today's contest - GK Sean
Milligan, who tended the nets for Dartmouth last fall, and M/F Donny
Toia, a product of the RSL-Arizona Under-17 Program.

• The other goalkeeper that was a guest for the opening days of Real
Salt Lake's spring training, Colombian Carlos Ortiz, made his final
appearance at training yesterday and has departed the squad's Casa
Grande camp.

• Real Salt Lake will train this afternoon and once more on Friday
before beginning its exhibition schedule in earnest this Saturday,
Feb. 20 against USSF Division 2 side - and 2011 MLS expansion team -Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the match kicking off at Francisco
Grande at 4:00 p.m. MT. Real Salt Lake's full 2010 Preseason
slate is listed below.

• Fans can receive updates from all of Utah side's preseason affairs as
they occur via Real Salt Lake's officialFacebook page and Twitter feed, while the team's official
website, RealSaltLake.com, and blog, Behind
the Shield (located at RSLtotheCore.com)
will also provide comprehensive coverage of the Claret-and-Cobalt's
preseason matches.